If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Escape Hybrid - tax credit eligibility?

Hi,
We are thrilled to be taking ownership of a 2009 Escape Hybrid tomorrow. Located one that was just delivered to an Albuquerque NM dealership.

We wonder how we can find out if our car is eligible for the full $3000 (FWD) tax credit? How does one learn how many have been sold? Is it
a) sold to the dealers?
b) sold to actual customers?
c) total Escapes? Or total of Escapes or Escapes and Mariners combined?

Our salesman seems unsure how to find out if our car is eligible; although he thinks the magic number (60,000?) hasn't been reached yet.

Would we have to contact FORD with our VIN number?

Any light shed will be helpful. And we are VERY much looking forward to learning how to drive our car for optimum mileage and fun!

The Tax Credit is still

The Tax Credit is still $3,000 for the FWD till December 31, 2008 so relax. Most likely the Credit will be reduced to $1,500 January 1 2009 because Ford will have exceeded 60,000 units of FEH/MMH at that time.

My hope is that Congress will renew and increase the Tax Credit for the 2008 model, not let it go away.

If anyone has similar

If anyone has similar questions, I would suggest asking the dealer to call the factory. We nearly paid for the extra cost of the hybrid system with out federal and local tax rebates (and we can park in a local town for free!! -- speaking of which, ask your legislators to dial in a few more perks for high-mileage cars. Intangible benefits are helpful in making decisions).

Good wishes with your hybrid -- our Escape hybrid has not needed a single unscheduled repair in the three-plus years we've owned it. It may take a while to learn to drive for the highest mileage (we found the cruise control helped, for example) and our mileage increased over 5% after it passed the 10,000 mile mark.

Ask your dealer to look for

Ask your dealer to look for an e-mail that went out to all Ford/Mercury Dealers on July 17, 2008. It gives Ford's Hybrid Tax Credit Update. As of June 30, 2008, combined tax credit sales of FEH/MMH were 55,990.

You have to be careful. Do

You have to be careful. Do not believe everything the sales person tells you. Of course, they want to sell you a car. Once you bought it, who cares if you really get all the tax deductions you were promised...